robert house law

Last Month of Bar Prep

2010-07-01T12:20:00.001-05:00

This is the last month of it. The Texas bar exam starts on the 27th (and concludes on the 29th). I have increased my daily study time about 50%, just because of the fear. I feel the heat.

Prep consists of reviewing outlines of classes I took in law school, watching videos of lectures, and then answering questions about it. There are simulations of the exam too -- either long multiple choice sessions to simulate the MBE, essay sessions to simulate the Texas Essays, and MPT simulations as well.

It can get overwhelming. Good thing for bikes -- I just hope the rain goes away and stays away now.

2010-05-30T20:52:00.002-05:00

Can't stand you people and your killing machines: http://ping.fm/tXTVG

2010-05-30T15:25:00.001-05:00

Almost home -- which means back to bar prep.

2010-05-29T10:41:00.001-05:00

On a boat...

2010-05-29T06:51:00.001-05:00

offshore fishing today

2010-05-28T14:04:00.001-05:00

Bar prep at the beach this weekend.

2010-05-27T13:02:00.001-05:00

Texas corporations today

2010-05-26T23:30:00.001-05:00

Long day.

2010-05-25T19:30:00.001-05:00

Bar prep in the form of a board game. Working in the drinking game rules.

2010-05-25T11:51:00.001-05:00

Good morning con law!

All over

2010-04-30T15:25:00.001-05:00

Law school is all over now.

Ed Glosser: Trivial Psychic

2010-04-21T22:15:00.001-05:00

Last Semester

2010-01-19T19:09:00.001-06:00

This is my last first week of law school. Woohoo!

Alive

2009-12-09T19:50:00.001-06:00

It's been a while. I'm almost done with this semester (tomorrow morning at 8 is my last final). This has been the toughest semester for me. Not so much for the material, but for all of the things other than school that came up.

Glad it's over. Next semester should be pretty tame. Then it's onto the bar exam and the waiting. After that I guess I'll have to get a job and start working again... ugh.

Last Year of Law School

2009-08-19T14:04:00.002-05:00

Monday is the first day of my last year of law school. The light at the end of the tunnel is really starting to getting brighter. (However, as we all know that that light is the light on the front of the train known as the bar exam.) I'm taking 16 hours this semester, which leaves me with 14 for my next (and final) semester.

I tried to set it up so that I only had class three days a week, but only came close. One class on Tuesdays and Thursdays shouldn't be too bad.

If I Had $4,000...

2009-08-05T21:47:00.001-05:00

that I needed to spend on bike tools, this would be the set:

from [Park Tool]

I plan on, however, spending my LexisNexis rewards on this one:

AK-37 Advanced Mechanic Tool Kit (Park Tool)

So I've been a little busy...

2009-07-28T15:07:00.001-05:00

I have not had much time to update what has been going on, mostly because so much has been going on. Summer school wraps at the end of this week and I have two tests the following week. After that I will be producing the first episode of a podcast for Career Services. There is a response to a motion for summary judgment on my desk at the law office that I started working on (and a pleading (read: lawsuit) that needs to be filed). Today was also the first day of the Summer bar exam -- I will be there next year. The stress in the air was unavoidable. More to come soon.

Our Favorite Furniture Store...

2009-07-10T15:15:00.001-05:00

IKEA! Funny little song about it.

Law Clerking

2009-06-17T13:28:00.001-05:00

This has been a pretty busy week so far (yeah, I know it's only Wednesday). At the law clerking gig I've been doing some general housekeeping on a few files -- putting together petitions, filing petitions, writing a few letters, answering discovery requests, and putting documents in order for the file.

I attended a mediation for the first time the other day too. Mediation, as I learned, is a court ordered deal to get parties another chance to get to settlement before going to trial. The mediator's job is to get one side to pay a little more and the other to accept a little less with the hope there is a meeting somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately we were hit with some surprise information that took a real winner of a case and made it a real loser. Lesson learned: trust your client, but don't trust your client's memory -- ever!

Somewhere in the I've also been working on getting the Career Services website updated, which has been going well but, it take times (that I don't really have), and still taking care of the administration tasks for the job bank database (which, fortunately, doesn't take much time).

As if that wasn't enough I also have a few potential future clients, with some problems, who will probably need to be referred someone soon.

Oh, and school starts again in twelve days.

Summer Work

2009-06-11T23:39:00.000-05:00

Last week I started working for a Personal Injury firm in town. Having worked so much for insurance, mostly in property and casualty insurance in the past few years, it has been interesting to see the business from the other side. Most importantly I am getting a chance to work with people who actually litigate and get that much needed resume worthy experience stuff.

It has also been pretty nice to get the rest of the story when it comes to what practice is really like. The stuff you don't get in law school that's pretty important.

Things that need to be done while in law school, even if you don't get paid for it, so you can get a job when school is over.

Judicial Ethics

2009-05-29T11:44:00.001-05:00

A comment to Rule 2.2 of the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct says:

Although each judge comes to the bench with a unique background and personal philosophy, a judge must interpret and apply the law without regard to whether the judge approves or disapproves of the law in question.

Makes you wonder about some recent statements by potential SCOTUS associate judges...

LSAT Question?

2009-05-26T23:56:00.001-05:00

I really don't remember the LSAT very well (nor do I care to), but this seems like XKCD captured a question from it.

Summer School

2009-05-18T12:52:00.001-05:00

Today is the first day of Summer I (first summer session). It feels good to know that other people are going to class while I'm taking a break from it. I have a break until June 29, when Summer II begins, to goof off and not think about school much.

Onto 3L

2009-05-15T22:33:00.001-05:00

My grades all came in the other day and I am quite pleased with myself. Trusts was my lowest grade, but I was expecting that (because of that I'll end up litigating trusts one day). Classes are registered for summer and I'll be taking Sales and Texas Civil Procedure II. At some point I'm going to have to check my registration for next Fall and Spring so I can get out of here.

I will be enjoying the break while I have it.

Done

2009-05-10T23:42:00.001-05:00

I have turned in my last final exam and I am done for the semester. I did not sign up for classes in the first summer session so I will not have to go back until June 29. It will be nice to take a long break before my last year starts up. Bring on 3L.